The Family Engagement in Preschool to Elementary School Transition Service for Children with Developmental Delay

For children with developmental delay, preschool to elementary school transition service plays an important role in adaptation and learning. Currently, there’re focusing on the ""parent''s involvement"" in practical work and academic literature. However, there are many foreign literature suggests the importance of ""family engagement"". Therefore, the researcher interviewed 5 family members who have experienced preschool to elementary school transition service. What’s more, in order to explore the implementation of family engagement in practice, the researcher also interviewed 5 social workers. From the literature review and research findings, the characteristics of the family engagement can be divided into: the relationship and interaction between social workers and families, social workers insight into the family members, and the family''s engagement and external resources. Extended discussion of the study were: the relationship between families of children with developmental delay and social workers who work in early intervention of community resource centers, reflection of ""family engagement"" in early intervention with social work and preschool to elementary school transition service, and the insight of families of children with developmental delay in Taiwan. Finally, based on the outcomes, this study proposes the implications included: maintain relationship with the case in order to establish network of resources permanently, strengthen the ""family engagement"" in the practices, enhance the exchange of social workers, and improve the multi-disciplinary collaboration in agencies which offer transition service.